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Knights of the Falcon
The Knights of the Falcon, or Falcon Knights, are a Loyalist Space Marine Chapter created during the 22nd Founding as Successors of the vaunted Dark Angels. A very proud and conceited Chapter, they are nevertheless, faithful to the principles of chivalry and nobility. In battle they prefer close-combat, and due to the small size of their Chapter, they defeat their enemies through cunning tactics and the quality of their Knights. Settled on the Feudal World of Faidor, the Falcon Knights follow this planet's ancient feudal laws, and each knight of the Chapter is elevated to the title of aristocrat, as they clearly follow the Code of Chivalry, but have almost a complete disregard for the Codex Astartes. As heirs of Lion El'Jonson, they have decided to distance themselves as far as possible from their Primogenitors and their fellow Unforgiven Chapters, preferring to choose their own way and create their own history. Notable Campaigns *'7th Black Crusade (811.M37)' *'Defense of Hexos (433.M38)' – Large forces of Ork Waaagh! threaten to the worlds of Hexos Sector. The Falcon Knights bravely stand up for the defence of the sector and defeat the enemy, but while receiving heavy losses. During this war, the Chapter's first Grand Master Meistrus dies. *'Fall of Andereat (946.M40-949.M40)' *'Suppression of the Macharian Heresy (450-460.M41)' *'Corinth Crusade (698.M41-705.M41)' *'Badab War (901.M41)' *'Second Tyrannic War (992.M41)' *'13th Black Crusade (999.M41)' Chapter history Created in the beginning of the 37th Millennium, the history of the Chapter is not known for certain. Where, how and under what circumstances it was created, has long been forgotten or purposely hidden from prying eyes. However, there is an old Faidor legend that tells about the appearance of the Falcon Knights. «The Legend of the Falcon Knights» (Short version) A long time ago, the twelve kingdoms of Faidor waged endless wars for the right to own the Silver Crown. The Silver Crown was the guarantor of absolute power over all Faidor, and each of the twelve kings and queens had the right to own it. But the throne cannot be empty, and in those days the Crown was owned by the Tyrant King Argeyn Glanhorien, the Mad. This war brought devastation to the whole world; rivers of blood flooded fields and castles, killed peasants and nobility. Brothers went to war with their brothers. Sisters killed sisters and only the mad laughter of the Tyrant King was always heard. At Faidor's most difficult hour, some would say by the will of the gods (Faidor religion implies that the Emperor has five guises, each of which to some extent personifies humanity) the world's saviours came from the sky -- the Falcon Knights -- clothed in the heaviest armour and armed with divine weapons, they were ready to defeat the armies of the Tyrant King. They were able to unite the kingdoms under a single banner. This mighty army besieged the walls of the Capital of the Tyrant King, but the Tyrant King did not want to give up the capital so easily, and so, he ordered his soldiers to burn the whole city, with both himself and his people, so that nothing would be left for his enemies. And so, the Tryant King set fire to the whole city. Onwards, the Falcon Knights charged through the flames and cut their way through the ranks of enemy soldiers. At the last, they finally broke into through castle walls of the Tyrant King. As the shadow of death fell over him, even at that moment, the Tyrant King did not stop laughing. Even after his head was separated from his shoulders, there remained an insane smile on his face. When the battle ended, almost the whole city had burned to ash and the kings, queens and their armies gathered on the ruins of the capital. It was then the Knights of the Falcon announced to all the masters of Faidor: «None of you will be above the other. You are worthy to rule your lands without the hand of a tyrant wearing the Silver Crown. You are free to decide your own destinies and build your own history... You all are equal, but when you are not mired in anarchy, you must have a judge. Not a master, but a leader. But we cannot be this leader, for we are warriors, not kings. But amongst you, there is a person worthy of this burden. Thus, we Falcon Knights call Lord Dorran Eremore the first Keeper of Faidor. We will be the guarantor of your power and your heirs, but if you or your heir should prove unworthy of this title, our verdict will be severe, but fair.» Since then, the Falcon Knights have built their fortress-monastery, Castle Highnest, on Faidor and have continued to protect this world, and hundreds of other worlds besides, from the encroachments of evil. As they promised, peace and order came to Faidor, and the royal family of Eremor have kept to their duty to this world, to the current day. Chapter Home World Faidor (Feudal World) Faidor is the capital of the Orellean sub-sector, located in the Hexos Sector. Known as the World of the Pearl Sun, the political system of Faidor rests on a feudal monarchy, where the ruler of Faidor is the head of the royal family Eremor. He or she then hold the special title, known as the Keeper of Faidor. The Keeper of Faidor is also the Governor of the entire Orellean sub-sector. Faidor is a world with a predominantly temperate climate and is almost completely covered by fields, coniferous forests and massive mountains. This world is also know to be rather cold due to its notoriously strong winds, and the sun itself does not give off enough heat. Although Faidor has the status of a being a 'feudal world', it is difficult to categorise it as being backwards or primitive. With the appearance of the Falcon Knights and the emergence of sub-sector capital status, the technical progress of Faidor has greatly increased. Now this world is grows ever closer to the status of a Civilised World. Fortress-Monastery The Chapter's fortress-monastery, Castle Highnest, is located on the peaks of the Lyrrain Mountains and is the largest, most formidable and reliable fortress on the planet. The area occupied by the fortress is comparable to the area of a small Faidorian town. Forests and mountains near the fortress-monastery are protected, and there is a permanent prohibition in place on the construction of anything other than the building of regular residences of the people. The fortress is equipped with the latest technology, possessing an airstrip, hangars and mini-factories which produce standard equipment and ammunition utilised by the Chapter. More complex equipment and armoured vehicles for the Chapter are created on the Forge World of Hallrea. Chapter Recruitment Located on the Feudal World of the Chapter, the Falcon Knights only recruit Neophytes from here. To recruit future members of the Chapter, Falcon Knights have the privilege of convening the Falcon Tournament on Faidor. It is based on the results of this competition that decides which future Neophytes are recruited. Falcon Tournament The largest-scale event in the whole of Faidor, the Falcon Tournament is announced only by the order of the Falcon Knights themselves, which is held at the Great Royal Arena of Faidor. Here, aristocrats and commoners gather from all corners of the planet to witness this great spectacle. The tournament, held for about a week, is accompanied by festivals and feasts. Only young men, ranging from 12 to 19 years of age, can take part in the tournament and many noble families teach their sons at a very young age, the necessary combat skills that are needed, if they hope to rise to the top and win the Falcon Tournament. Victory in such an esteemed tournament brings great fame to any Faidor family. While competing in the Falcon Tournament, the combatants do not fight to the death, but instead, to the first blood. The Knights of the Chapter act as judges during these fights. However, killing one's opponent during a fight will not be considered a crime, but this does not mean that the family of the deceased will not take revenge on the killer after the tournament. By the end of the tournament, the twelve best warriors have the right to try to become the Neophytes of the Falcon Knights. Chapter Organisation Command Ranks *'Grand Master' - Equivalent to a Chapter Master. *'Knight-Captain' - Commanders of the Chapter, they are equivalent to a Captain. *'Reclusiarch' *'Master of Librarians' - Equivalent to a Chief Librarian. *'Master of Healers' - Equivalent to a Chief Apothecary. *'Master of Arms' - Equivalent to a Master of the Forge. Specialist Ranks *'Chaplain' *'Librarian' *'Healer' - Equivalent to an Apothecary. *'Armourer' - Equivalent to a Techmarine. Line Formations *'Veteran Banneret' - Veteran Sergeant equivalent. *'Veteran Knight' – Veteran Space Marine equivalent. *'Knight Banneret' – Sergeant equivalent. *'Knight' – Battle-Brother equivalent. *'Squire' – Scout Marine equivalent. *'Neophyte' *'Aspirant' Falcon Knights do not appear to use the Codex's proscribed company structure, instead basing their organisation around that of the simple 10-men Banner-Squad (an equivalent of a standard Space Marine Tactical Squad). Each squad has its own name and banner and is regarded as a detached tactical formation. Only those squads that are called 'Honorable' can be considered a Chapter's elite, and as a rule, such detachments are made up of Veteran Knights, with the Chapter's Knight Captains commanding them. Squires (Neophytes) are not part of the Scout Squads but are part of the regular Space Marine squads, where they perform the duties of a Knight Banneret (equivalent of a Brother-Sergeant) assignments. Next, the Squire who completes their training can join any Banner-squad as a full-fledged Knight, in which he will be offered, but more often he comes to the squad in which he passed his training. Specialist Formations *'Hawkwing' - The elite Assault Squad formation known as the Hawkwing completely consists of Veteran Space Marines in assault wargear. Alone, the stately appearance of the Hawkwing Knights raises the morale of their allies, and in combat, their combat skills can reverse the course of the battle. They are highly respected by all members of the Chapter, and are on par with other Veterans and Commanders, with their valorous feats often carved out in the Chapter's annals. It is extremely difficult to become a member of this elite squad which is probably on a par with a standard Honour Guard. The Hawkwing squad must always consist of 10 Veterans Knights, for if the will of fate causes one of their members to die, the Hawkwing's Veteran Banneret should choose the most talented non-veteran Battle-Brother to take their fallen comrade's place in the squad. There are a lot of requirements to become a candidate, and in the format of a "closed interview", the Veteran Banneret of the Hawkwing assesses the applicant and decides whether he is worthy of the armour and title of a Veteran of the Chapter and entry into this 'Specialist Formation'. Wargear Along with the standard assault equipment, every member of the Hawkwing, as a veteran, has absolutely any available equipment of the Chapter. But according to their rules and Chapter tradition, each Veteran Knight of the squad must wear a Combat Shield and preferably any other melee weapon (most often Veterans prefer Power Swords), but nobody forbids these Veterans to take a second weapon like a Relic Bolter should they so choose. Chapter Combat Doctrine Though the Falcon Knights are able to deploy an acceptable number of vehicles, within their ranks, there are often several Dreadnoughts. The primacy of the combat squad means that the Falcon Knights concentrate on basic infantry tactics in battle. In battle, they prefer close-combat, constantly reducing the distance from the enemy. Each member of the Chapter is a skilled swordsman ready to prove their mettle. A small number of Space Marines in the Chapter are compensated by the quality of these Space Marines themselves. Knights of the Chapter constantly improve their skills in close-combat through intensive training and in regular tournaments. In addition to honing their melee skills, these tournaments help to develop their cunning as fighters, which they then use in the battles with the real enemy. Chapter Beliefs The Chapter's laws imply that every Falcon Knight becomes a noble-knight (even if he was not born an aristocrat) and must follow their order's proscribed Code of Chivalry. Because of this, most of the Knights of the Chapter are noted for being conceited and quite proud. During the absence of any regular campaigns, they often arrange tournaments amongst themselves, and after each victory in war, they arrange lavish feasts in which they boast of their military feats. Though the Chapter's laws are less severe than in other Space Marine Chapters, and perhaps the Falcon Knights lack the iron-willed discipline of other Chapters, they compensate for these deficiencies with courage and exceptional swordsmanship skills. Code of Chivalry *''The Code of Chivalry is mandatory for all members of the Chapter to uphold, who call themselves a Knight.'' *''There is nothing more disgusting to a Knight than cowardice and betrayal.'' *''Each Knight must keep his word, for only cowardice and perjury is the highest disgrace for a Knight.'' *''The Knight must mercilessly punish any insult to the honour of his Chapter, the honour of the Emperor and his own honour.'' *''A Knight must be ruthless towards the abusers of people, to criminals, his enemies and to the enemies of the Emperor.'' *''The Knight does not dare to harm a man (not a heretic) armed with unequal weapons, only if not on the battlefield or under the threat of life.'' *''The Knight does not dare to harm an unarmed man (not a heretic), only if not on the battlefield or under the threat of life.'' *''A Knight must be merciful to the weak and not deny those who ask for help if this request does not contradict the Code of Chivalry.'' *''A Knight should be gallant in dealing with noble ladies.'' *''The Knight must constantly improve in the arts of war, take care of his armament and read litanies.'' *''Each Knight must take part in tournaments where he must show his courage and combat skills.'' *''If a dispute arises between Knights, or one of them insults another by word or deed, then the Knight can claim satisfaction in an honour duel in the presence of witnesses, or renounce his words and repent of his actions.'' *''A Knight cannot strike a defeated opponent (in an honest duel), as well as an opponent praying for mercy if he is not a heretic, of course.'' *''In the event of a violation of the Code of Chivalry by the Knight, his fate will be given to the Grand Master, while evading from the will of the Grand Master, this person is deprived of the noble Knight's title and all privileges, is called a traitor and must undergo supreme unction (death penalty).'' Notable Falcon Knights *'Grand Master Astold Braveheart' - Current Chapter Master *'Reclusiarch Eahon, the Templar' *'Master of Librarians Katier de Velaros, the Legends Keeper' *'Master of Healers Leonar Emeron' *'Master of Arms Andre de Kaide, the Defender' *'Master of Castle Sigmaer, the Amiable' – Veteran Knight, steward of the Chapter’s fortress-monastery *'Sir Algric Din, the Knight-Executioner' - Knight-Captain of the Honorable Banner-squad Ruthless *'Sir Deon de Gasto, the Grim' - Knight-Captain of the Honorable Banner-squad Mortions *'Sir Kailor, the Whitelion' - Knight-Captain of the Honorable Banner-squad Whitelion *'Sir Deul de Veraxio' - Knight-Captain of the Honorable Banner-squad Umbratori *'Sir Gideo, the Retributor' - Knight-Captain of the Honorable Banner-squad Avengers *'Sir Alexandrus Engelbert, the Iron Paladin' - Knight-Captain of the Honorable Banner-squad Engelbert *'Sir Darrus Eremor' - Veteran Banneret of the elite squad Hawkwing, also former member of Faidor royal family *'Sir Saigrid, the Swordbreaker' - Veteran Banneret of Banner-squad Olderk *'Sir Dimarion' - Dreadnought, before being interred into the armoured sarcophagus was a Veteran Knight of elite Banner-squad Oldrek *'Grand Master Meistrus' – The first Chapter Master, now dead Chapter Relics *''Great Hammer of Meistrus'' - Great Hammer of Meistrus is master-crafted ancient large, two-handed warhammer that once belonged to the first Grand Master Meistrus. The legend says that he is impregnated in the blood of traitors and can deal them special torment by the one glance. *''Grim Knight's Axe'' - Grim Knight's Axe is a master-crafted power axe that once belonged to the Sir Grimholt, the founder of the Banner-squad Mortion. Each stroke with this axe is able to draw "life energy" from creatures located next to the blade, even from the owner, so handling this weapon requires a lot of skill and brave. Now belongs to Sir Deon de Gasto, current Knight-Captain of the Honorable Banner-squad Mortions. *''Aistor's Claws'' - a master-crafted lightning claw, once belonged to the Knight-captain Aistor Frey. According to the legend with this claw, Aistor tore up the Ork's Warboss Mad'Zekka during the Defense of Hexos, but he himself died from the received wounds. *''Greatest Lion's Sword'' - Greatest Lion's Sword is a master-crafted huge two-handed power sword, belongs to Sir Kailor, the Whitelion, Knight-Captain of the Honorable Banner-squad Whitelion, with this sword, Kailor is able to chop enemy Space Marines and light armoured vehicles in one blow. *''Vengeance Blade'' - Vengeance Blade is a master-crafted power sword, belongs to Sir Gideo, the Retributor, Knight-Captain of the Honorable Banner-squad Avengers. *''Sacred Sword of the Self-Executions'' - Sacred Sword of the Self-Executions is an ancient sword, according to legend, a long time ago Sir Lansel beheaded himself as a punishment for breaking the Code of Chivalry, and to be precise, he killed his Battle-Brother in a fit of anger. Sir Lansel immediately appreciated what did he do and without waiting for the trial, made his own death sentence. The Chapter forgave Lansel's sin, and his body was buried in the Highnest Crypt, and his sword by which he has killed himself became a Chapter Relic. *''Ancient Sword'' - Ancient Sword is a very old power sword belonging to the unknown Space Marine of Falcon Knights, many centuries ago the Knight found himself on a distant wild planet inhabited by a backward civilization of xenos race, where he survived and subdue some xenos, but eventually he died anyway. However, the sword with the help of Lunar Guard was able to return to the Falcon Knights, where scholars and Librarians will try to know the history of the blade and the lost Knight. Chapter Fleet *''The Intrepid'' (Battle Barge) - Flagship of Grand Master Astold Braveheart and the Falcon Knights *''The Ubiquitous'' (Strike Cruiser) - Under control of Honorable Banner-squad Ruthless *''The Smashing'' (Hunter-class Destroyer) - Under control of Honorable Banner-squad Ruthless *''Herald of Retribution'' (Strike Cruiser) - Under control of Honorable Banner-squad Mortions *''Memory of Meistrus'' (Nova Frigate) - Under control of Honorable Banner-squad Mortions *''Pride of Falcon'' (Strike Cruiser) - Under control of Honorable Banner-squad Whitelion *''The Redeemer'' (Gladius Frigate) - Under control of Honorable Banner-squad Whitelion *''The Punisher'' (Gladius Frigate) - Under control of Honorable Banner-squad Avengers *''Firebringer'' (Nova Frigate) - Under control of Honorable Banner-squad Avengers *''Blade of Faidor'' (Gladius Frigate) - Under control of Honorable Banner-squad Umbratori *''The Watcher'' (Nova Frigate) - Under control of Honorable Banner-squad Engerlbert Relations Allies *'Dark Angels' - Though the Falcon Knights have decided to distance themselves as far as possible from their Primogenits, they still respect the ancient Chapter of the First Founding and are ready to cooperate with any Lion's sons. Notable Quotes By the Falcon Knights About the Falcon Knights Feel free to add your own Gallery File:Falcon_Terminator.png|A Veteran Knight Terminator of elite Banner-Squad Krakholl Assault_Knight.png|Knight Banneret of Assault Squad Falcraft File:Squire_2.png|Squire of Banner-squad Malherbet FK_Dreadnought.png|A Mark V Dreadnought Sir Dimarion formerly serving in the Banner-squad Oldrek, armed with a Multi-Melta and Storm Bolter Category:Imperium Category:Space Marine Chapters Category:Space Marines Category:22nd Founding Category:Dark Angels Successors